


divine

by tokyeons (stylsh)



Category: LOONA (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Knight!Kim Lip, Princess and knight, Princess!Heejin, War, breath of the wild AU, heelip is v underappreciated, there will be more ships and more warnings but i’ll add them later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-30
Updated: 2019-05-07
Packaged: 2019-09-30 20:19:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17230571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stylsh/pseuds/tokyeons
Summary: An upcoming war is looming over Anool’s head and Princess Heejin is given the duty to seal the evil. She is struggling with unlocking her power and feeling inferior is a given. What doesn’t help is that she is given a personal knight, who is too caring for Heejin’s liking.





	1. The Ceremony

**Author's Note:**

> this is HEAVILY inspired by breath of the wild, the newest legend of zelda game. i was SO INSPIRED watching the cutscenes because they’re so sad and cute and i just : ( so yes. it almost almost follows the exact story but i changed it becauuuseee the memories have a lot of time skips obviously. 
> 
> heelip is also so underrated i -- : ( i honestly love them so much. hopefully this fic does them justice. pls comment if you like it and just let me know if it's like,,, bad and everything lmao. thank you to my friends for reading this and telling me it is good-- y'all are great ily.

“Princess,”

Heejin grumbled, looking at herself in the mirror. Her dark tussles of hair resting daintily on her shoulders, Heejin had half a mind to find a kitchen knife and cut them off. Her hair was getting too long, her handmaidens discouraging her from cutting it shorter. Her hair was long, too long for her liking, but she was never allowed to cut it. Whenever they did have it cut, it was usually a trim, only once had Heejin had it majorly cut, and that was when she caught some of the thistles in it. 

“Spoiled brat,”

She pushed the hot tears that ran down her cheeks away, the tears cloudy from the light makeup on her face, the powder finding ways into the droplets. They poured down onto her pale pink gown, thick fabric dampening. The corset underneath was too tight around her waist, every time she wore it felt like she was suffocating, especially now, as she gasped for air between her sobs. It felt like she would break the corset every time she made a deep breath of air, every time she ate dinner with guests.

“Good for nothing,”

Heejin stood abruptly, her vanity stool being pushed a few centimetres than where it once stood. Her eyebrows were furrowed, her face twisted in disgust. But her eyes kept on the vanity mirror, framed with swirls of white and gold painted wood. Looking at her distressed state made her want to scream to the heavens, scream at everything. If she did, she would get scolded. 

“I hate you.” Her mouth spat poison at herself, her eyes finally tearing away from the vanity. She stared at her bed, wanting nothing more than to lay upon it and sleep for eternity, never having to put her hair in two tails or decorate her face like a cake. But she knew that she couldn’t, no matter how much the Princess prayed to the Goddess or how much she wished for it to happen, the fairy tale of sleeping for eternity would never come. She would wake up in a few hours, her face irritated from the make-up and her hair tangled and ruined. She would get a scolding from her handmaiden and later her father, for being late to the formal ceremony tomorrow. So, Heejin sat at the foot of her bed, willing the tears to stop and for her whimpers to quiet, to slow down. 

A few moments had passed, and Heejin looked up at the vanity again. Her eyes had pools of black underneath them, red clouding around her pupils, her forehead and cheeks matching with red spots. Her nose was running clear snot, her lips red from where she bit them, the taste of iron in her mouth whenever she took a lip into her mouth, trying to soothe the throbbing pain. She hated how she looked, wanting to rid herself of this. 

She sighed, and stripped herself of her pink gown, changing into the nightgown that was laying across the bed. It was daintier, softer, made of cotton. She took the bands of rubber in her hair and untangled them, shoving them into a drawer. 

She trudged to her private bathroom and wiped her face clear of the powder and kohl on her face. Heejin looked back up the mirror above the sink and saw a face, hidden underneath the pile of makeup. The redness, the puffiness, the imperfection. She scowled at the look, grumbling at herself — the Princess to save us all. 

Closing her eyes, she blew out the lantern that lit her bathroom, ignoring what her handmaidens kept telling her, that she needed to stop blowing out the lamps at night. Heejin couldn’t sleep without complete darkness; even the moonlight was too bright sometimes. 

With another soft sigh, Heejin made her way back to her bedroom, continuing to blow out the candles in her large room. She made a quick once-over at everything in the place, making sure nothing was out of the ordinary. Paranoid.

She climbed into her sizeable pink bed, stripping the sheets off that would keep her warm throughout the night. Like a bird, she nestled herself underneath them, closing her eyes. 

Her dream, one of darkness and Chaos, made sure she didn’t get any sleep that night and made sure she woke up with dark circles and puffy eyes. 

Heejin got scolded the next morning.

—

  
Jungeun stepped out of the inn she was staying at, the most well-known in of the land, right in front of the castle in Castletown. Jungeun spent the night in a bed made purely of down feathers from the ducks that stayed in the pond. Never in her life would have Jungeun guessed that she would be able to stay in an inn at all, she usually spent her time camping beside fires or the occasional makeshift shelter. The bed was too soft. 

“That was the softest bed I’ve ever stayed in,” Jongin, her older brother, said as if reading her mind. She didn’t say anything, only nodding in acknowledgment that he was standing next to her. 

The Anool castle loomed before them, its shadow tracing the grounds of the inn this morning and making the world around Jungeun a tad gloomy. However, it made for the sun not to shine in her eyes as she looked up at the sky, at the top of the castle, so vast, so menacing before them. The stone was almost a pure white, or a bright grey, the roofs a faded deep blue. All over the castle was red flags with golden symbols, the servants must’ve decorated. Jungeun didn’t know much about the castle, or Castletown for that matter; she had never really visited the place. She had once, as a kid, her father working here as one of the Royal Guards. There wasn’t much to remember other than the pale stone and the faded blues splashed in with bright greens and reds. Jungeun only remembered the bright colours, not the people. 

“Are you excited?” Jongin turned and looked to his sister, an eyebrow quirking up. Jungeun nodded, looking down from her gaze towards the castle. Jongin looked at her as if expecting more to come from her mouth, but nothing happened. He sighed and was about to say something else, but he got interrupted. 

“Jungeun!” Behind her, a name called out for her. It was Hyoyeon, her sister, the oldest of the three. “One of the guards came by; he wanted to give this to you.” Hyoyeon entrusted a dagger into Jungeun’s hands, wrapped in white linen. Jungeun guessed it must’ve been from Mingyu, what with the little note on the hilt. The dagger was short, short enough to be hidden. It was polished to perfection, without a scratch or scrape in sight. There were words etched into the blade. Forever. Jungeun tilted her head to the side, bringing up the blade to catch the light of the sun, watching the reflection bounce off. The note read something simple and short as if to say that he would be meeting Jungeun later so words on a note would be pointless. “He said to meet him after the ceremony.” 

“Ah, a suitor?” Jongin teased, looking behind Jungeun’s shoulder. “He’s my friend,” Jungeun grumbled, shaking her head profusely. “What kind of suitor would give his lady a dagger?” Hyoyeon gave Jongin a pointed look, her brows furrowing. “It’s Jungeun,” Jongin reminded her. “If he gave her a flower, Jungeun would give it to you.” Hyoyeon did not argue, as it was a true statement and was something that had happened before, instead opting for giving Jongin another look, this one, a variant of the last, just more fierce and her eyebrows etched into a deeper frown. Jungeun sighed, shaking her head at her two squabbling siblings. 

“I must get changed,” Jungeun said as a way to excuse herself. She was standing on the private balcony they got for their room; Jungeun was still in her nighttime tunic and beige trousers. She walked back into the room, ignoring the change of subject her siblings had started to talk about without her knowing. She knew it was vaguely about her, her name getting thrown around every once and a while, but she didn’t care.

She slipped out of her white tunic, and spun a bandage around her chest, binding her breasts closer to her chest. It was loose enough, so it didn’t hurt or press against her ribcage, but enough to flatten them so they would fit under the flat armour plate. She slipped the deep red tunic over her, the one given to her by the royal family. It had gold threaded in, embroidered the golden crest of the crescent moon on her chest. It was to be hidden today, however, when she brought the silver chest plate over her tunic, carrying weight on her shoulders and back. She stood upright, tying the strings of leather. She slipped her leather boots onto her feet, and brought out her hair, brushing it quickly before putting it back into the low ponytail it always stayed in. She looked over to the mirror on the vanity. She didn’t look beautiful, but she seemed okay. Was it enough to be a soldier at a royal ceremony? Definitely. Enough to be the crowned guest of honour? Certainly not. What was she to do? She owned no makeup and was sure that it would be inappropriate if she did put it on, as she was get crowned a higher ranking soldier, not a princess. 

“The tunic looks great!” Jungeun’s mother burst into the room, her makeup already done and her waist already bound in the tight corset, underneath the turquoise blue gown. “The red makes you pop.” She popped her ‘p.’ She gave her daughter a warm smile. “Ah, you look so…” Her mother bit her lip, grasping Jungeun by the shoulders, giving her a once over. “Handsome.” It took her mother a beat too long to make the compliment believable. Jungeun appreciated it, nonetheless. “Thank you.” Jungeun bobbed her head in gratitude, showing a smile to her mother, full of teeth. “I can’t believe my daughter is getting her royal ceremony…” Even though her armour was protecting her shoulders, Jungeun could feel her mother’s grip tighten around her shoulders. “Granted, I wish it was because you were getting married to the King’s son but… That’s just me being too honest.” Jungeun didn’t mention that the King didn’t have a son, just a daughter, but she kept silent.

“Regardless, you look beautiful. You make such a fine soldier, how I wish your brother were more like you…”

“I heard that!”

Jungeun smiled softly. “Thank you, mother.” She grabbed her mother’s hand and squeezed it affectionately. The two of them shared loving gazes before her mother let go of her daughter’s shoulders and clapped her hands. “Alright, let’s get some food in those bellies. The ceremony starts soon! I don’t want you guys sitting through it on an empty stomach. If I hear one stomach growl, I’m feeding you till you throw up at the feast!”

Her children knew that it wasn't a joke, their faces fell, and they ran out of the room, their mother smiling triumphantly.

ー

  
Heejin’s eye twitched as she looked at herself in the mirror. Nothing more was as horrid as the sight before her, her face a pale white and her cheeks bright pink. Her eyes, lined with dark charcoal, and her lips were stained a dark red. “I look like a cheap doll.” Heejin’s words came out through gritted teeth, her hands in fists on top of her vanity. “A doll no one wants to buy.” Heejin’s cold stare went to her handmaiden, who was tying up her corset. Heejin barely was able to make the words come from her mouth, the tightness around her ribcage already making her breath jagged. 

“Shush.” Her handmaiden, or as she made Heejin call her, Irene, wasn’t in a happy mood today. What with the state Heejin woke up in, her face a beautiful mess. “It took a lot to cover up all of your blemishes; your face was in a state of horror this morning.” Irene patted her back once she was finished tying the corset, walking over to the bed, where Heejin’s heavy gown laid. “Princess, you need to take better care of yourself. Especially when it was a day before a big ceremony. Don’t you know better?” Irene’s scolding voice wasn’t anything new to the princess; it was something she heard way too often than neither of them would like. Irene was like a mother to Heejin, always making sure she stayed in line, even when neither of them agreed with the rules set. Irene was too loyal. “I fought with my father last night,” Heejin confessed, her mind tracing back to the events of the night prior. “We haven’t been on good terms since he appointed me my own knight.” 

“Have you two ever been on good terms?” Heejin’s arms came up, and Irene slipped the gown over her, the heavy velvet making Heejin lose her balance momentarily. “The cook was telling me he heard yelling. I thought it was the King yelling at one of the guards.” Irene shook her head, circling Heejin, tying up any loose ends of the dress. “Your father is very stressed out, what with Chaos right around the corner. He only wants the best from you.”

“I’ve given my best.” Heejin’s voice was firm as if she was stomping her foot. “Why can’t he accept that? I’ve prayed every day, and the Goddess hasn’t given me her blessing. He should be happy that I haven’t given up yet.” Irene stood in front of the princess, her hands coming up to the curls around her face, brushing them away. “He’s pleased and so proud.” Irene held Heejin’s cheeks in her hands, the look in her eyes nearly enough to make Heejin start crying. “He doesn’t act like it…” Heejin’s hands came up to Irene’s wrists, resting there, grasping gently.   
Ever since her mother passed, Irene was the closest thing to a mother Heejin had. Heejin was too young to remember her mother, only fleeting memories and vague ideas was all she had of her mother. If anything, memories of Irene were what replaced her memories with her mother. Heejin never shared this to anyone. 

“Your father isn’t good at showing his emotions.” Irene’s laugh was to lighten the mood, but it just made Heejin’s eyebrows furrow further. “Let’s get going. If we hurry, we might get a look at who your appointed knight will be. I bet he’s handsome.” Irene patted Heejin’s arm hurriedly, leading her out of her private chambers. Heejin didn’t want to leave, and she didn’t want to see her knight. It was probably some egotisitic, obnoxious knight with massive biceps and an even larger ego. The thought made Heejin shiver, that was what she was to spend all her time around him. 

Her father didn’t give her any indication who her knight was, just that she was to have a knight. The knight was the best swordsman in the land, having exceptional strength, speed, and intelligence. The King didn’t give any indication how old the swordsman was, just that he was alive and healthy. Heejin wished she wouldn’t be spending her time with some 40-year-old creep. This man, this person, was chosen by the legendary sword, the sword to seal Chaos. The sword was a mystery to the people of Anool, the only one who would genuinely understand its powers would be the chosen Hero himself. The thought made Heejin’s blood boil. How could they trust so much in some “Hero”? It was as flighty as believing a 17-year-old princess to seal the Chaos with her powers. The people of this land were fragile. 

Irene didn’t chat after they left Heejin’s chambers, keeping her silence, she swayed through the halls. The only time she spoke was to say her greetings to the other servants she passed, nodding her head and flashing a bright smile. Heejin followed the example, covering her fears, anxiety, anger with a bright, courteous smile at the servants that passed. In an hour or so, guests would start pouring in, and soon, the Hero. Heejin wished to turn around and go back to bed. 

“Heejin!” Behind her, a gentle voice called her name, and she turned her head. “Ah, Jungkook!” Heejin flashed a brilliant smile, upon seeing a person she wished to see. Jungkook was Heejin’s close cousin, akin to something like a brother. He lived in the palace, his father and mother passed in a war against monster enemies about 15 years back. Jungkook was taken in like a noble, a scholar. He was most certainly the brains of the operation, working closely with the creation of the Guardians. 

“Gosh, you look awful.” Jungkook’s fingers pressed against the soft of Heejin’s triceps, he ducked his head to give her a closer once-over. “You look like a cheap doll.” Heejin twisted her head back to look at Irene, who huffed and turned on her heel to continue her way to the throne room. “Yeah, I… I’m not excited about this,” Heejin admitted in a whisper. Jungkook nodded. “No doubt. I would be too. I mean, a knight? Protection 24/7? I can’t believe it.” Heejin wrinkled her nose, punching Jungkook in the shoulder. “Shut up.” Despite the words, her voice had no enthusiasm. “It’s as if Father thinks I can’t protect myself. I’m not a little girl anymore; I can put up a good fight if he would just let me.” Heejin mumbled, not meeting Jungkook’s gaze. 

Jungkook turned her around, his arm coming around her shoulders and squeezing one of them tightly. “Heejin, my daughter, I just don’t want you to die out there.” Jungkook deepened his voice, his hand coming up to stroke his nonexistent beard. “I also don’t trust you with a sword; you’re pretty clumsy.” 

“I’m not clumsy.” Heejin punched his ribs. “And I’m pretty good with a sword, I’ll have you know.” Her perfectly plucked eyebrow went up, looking at her cousin with a smirk. “Yes, dear cousin, and I’m good at knitting.” 

Heejin rolled her eyes. 

The two of them gave idle chat until they reached the loft of the throne room, her father sat in his throne, and below was scattered in guards. There was nothing out of the ordinary, except for the one soldier in the middle, kneeling on his knee and not looking at the king. Jungkook and Heejin both stopped in their tracks once they saw the scene, Heejin rushing forward to press her hands against the marble banister. She willed the soldier to lift his head, knowing exactly who he was. 

“It’s nice to see you, Jungeun.”

Jungeun?

The soldier lifted his head, and Heejin’s stomach churned. Somehow, there was so some familiarity in the soldier, even though Heejin was sure she had never seen that face in her life. But she recognized it, she knew it. 

“The pleasure is mine, my King.”

Upon hearing Jungeun’s voice, tears spilled from Heejin’s eyes and onto the white marble banister. 

“Heejin?” Jungkook could hear the droplets in the otherwise completely silent room, and upon Jungkook’s voice starting the King and the soldier’s formal greeting, they looked up. 

Tears were spilling from Heejin’s eyes uncontrollably, and she had no idea why. Her hand clapped on her mouth before Jungeun looked up, covering the sobs. She bolted before Jungeun could see her face.

However, even though Jungeun didn’t see Heejin’s face, there was a sharp pain in her chest upon seeing the Princess sob. Jungeun’s grip tightened on the fabric of her tunic, and for the same reason Heejin started sobbing, Jungeun felt her sinuses sting and tighten. 

Jungeun was so immersed in seeing the Princess cry, she didn’t notice the looks that everyone in the room was giving her, even the King’s.

ー

  
“Upon this summer day, the Goddess herself has come to bless us. Even though we cannot see her, we can feel her. In our minds, she's with us. She accompanies us in our hearts and our souls. She blesses this ceremony, blesses us every day.”

Jungeun could hear the King’s voice speak, but she could not see him. Her eyes were closed, her brain supposed to be dedicated to praying to the Goddess he spoke of, but all she could think of was the princess who stood before her. 

Princess Heejin, everyone knew her as. She was the land’s beauty and grace, she was whom every girl wanted to be, and every boy wanted to be with. Girls would dream of being a princess like her, and boys would dream of having a wife like her. She was the epitome of her perfection.   
Seeing the princess in a state of weakness as she just had, made Jungeun weary. Not that she also thought that Heejin was perfect, just like Jungeun, Heejin probably had many flaws that were hidden behind a perfected face. 

“Hero,” The King’s booming voice rang Jungeun’s attention back to the case at hand, she looked up. 

Surrounding her was all of the significant leaders and rulers surrounding her. Below, there was her family, her friends in the Royal Guard, soldiers surrounding them. Usually, Jungeun hates to be the centre of attention, her birthdays were one of the worst days of the year. Sitting in the middle of a lot of people, all of them coming around to see you and only you. Jungeun hated it. This, was her birthday, but on a much grander scale. 

Heejin had her jaw clenched, even though everyone in the room could see her. Her hands were in fists, and if you looked close enough, her eyes still had red peppered around them. Jungeun quickly looked away, after seeing that Heejin was staring intensely at her and that she was supposed to be looking at her King. All on her mind was the princess, but why? There was something about her Jungeun couldn’t place her finger upon. Some familiarity, but why? Jungeun knows she’s never seen the Princess before today. Her father, maybe, but never her. Jungeun has viewed the King many times, but the Princess was always a private person who didn’t really come out of the palace. And if she did, then Jungeun never would’ve recognized her as the Princess. 

“You’ve been entrusted in the responsibility of protecting Anool. Chosen by the sword that will seal the Chaos, that will bring back Anool’s dynasty of peace.”

“Gosh, this is depressing, isn’t it?” Jungkook nudged Heejin’s side, whispering to her shoulder. “It’s like you’re throwing her to her death.” His voice was low, barely heard against the King’s voice in Heejin’s ear. “Quiet. People can see you whispering to me.” Heejin’s lips barely moved as she spoke, her voice kept quiet. “Jungeun’s pretty, though,” Jungkook admitted, before turning away and not speaking again. 

Heejin would have to agree. Jungeun wasn’t someone she expected to see, not only did she assume a man but she didn’t expect someone so small. Jungeun was barely taller than Heejin, her frame similar to Heejin’s, just more muscular. From behind, Jungeun would’ve looked like a teenage boy. Heejin didn’t know much about combat, but she suddenly figured that a small yet muscular body, must be ideal for quick swordplay. 

“Your bravery is impeccable, you’ve shown through your tasks in not only obtaining your sword but in your everyday tasks in the royal guard.

“Whether thy be lost in the twilight, struck by an eclipse, or adrift in the vivid universe, we pray for thee to be forever bound to the steel across your lap.

“Goddess Loona, please protect this Hero with thy love and prosperity. And may the Hero and her Goddess, my daughter, Princess Heejin, defeat Chaos.”

The room erupted in roars of applause. Jungeun stood, a bright smile on her face, as the sword to seal darkness was entrusted into her hands. 

Jungeun’s eyes caught the blade, it’s shimmering light made Jungeun’s eyes twitch. She knew that at a touch of the edge, her finger would not cut, but another’s, maybe. The Divine Sword was to be her partner in battle, her pen against paper. It’s glimmer made Jungeun’s heart race, her palms feel sweaty. She held the hilt, it was forged perfectly for her hand. Jungeun swung it, once the King had stepped away, and the crowd behind her cheered. Jungeun took a shaky breath and sheathed it, looking at the King, his smile warm and kind. A stark difference than his daughter who stood next to him, who wasn’t even looking at Jungeun.

—

  
Jungeun’s head was spinning as she leaned against one of the castle walls, the names and faces swirling in her mind. She had met many rulers, many people of power that all spoke dull talk. They wanted to rub elbows with the Hero of Legend, of course. Jungeun wanted nothing more than to escape from the nobles and ladies, this high living was something Jungeun could never get used to. Not that she would ever, she was still just a royal guard, only with a shiny sword and a beautiful damsel. 

Jungeun sighed, now standing in the quiet corridor. 

She had seen Heejin talking with these same nobles, but unlike Jungeun, her smiles weren’t awkward, and her laughs were genuine. She was undoubtedly a Princess, fit for the role of pleasing lords and ladies. Jungeun admired her for that. 

“Jungeun!” Approaching her was her friend, Sir Kim Mingyu. He was probably her only friend in the royal guard since most of the knights were more significant and older. Jungeun was only 18, and Mingyu was 20. They were close in age, even though Jungeun felt like she was eight when she talked to Mingyu. 

“Ah, red looks perfect on you.” Mingyu gave Jungeun a once over, who nodded with a large smile. “The tunic looks great. Fit for the Hero of Legend.” His smile was toothy, foxlike, his demeanour was always that akin to the mischievous creature in the woods. “Did you get the gift I gave you?” He bit his lip, underneath a crooked tooth. Jungeun nodded. “Yes, I did. Thank you.” She gave a polite bow, and he brushed her off with the flick of the hand. “No need to be so formal, Jungeun. I’m your friend. Unless you’re gonna ditch me to bestie up the Princess.”

Jungeun’s bright smile quickly turned into a slight frown, her gaze lowering. “I would never leave you. I’m pretty sure the Princess hates me.” 

“How can she? You don’t even know each other.” Mingyu’s eyebrows were furrowed in disbelief, looking back as if the Princess was behind him. “I don’t know.” Jungeun sighed once more. 

Mingyu caught the despair in her voice, as diluted it may be, he hooked a finger under her chin and flashed her a broad smile. “Whatever, she’s probably just some spoiled brat who didn’t like the attention on someone else.” Mingyu laughed. “Having a personal guard probably ruins her night plans of sneaking out.” 

Jungeun didn’t match his chuckle, but she appreciated his attempt at making her feel better, even at the extent of the image of the Princess. Jungeun shook her head, smiling up at Mingyu. “Thank you for the dagger. I’ll need it when someone tries to attack the Princess.” Jungeun stepped away from Mingyu, tucking her chin against her chest. “I probably should go back in there.” Her steps faltered back, she slowly backed away, but not with fear or with shame, but casual. Her body titled back and forth, and her lips curved into a bigger smile once she saw Mingyu’s fake hurt look. “You don’t want to hang out with me, I get it. I’m just a lowly street rat now. If you start choosing the Princess over me, that’s when I know I’ve lost you to that spoiled brat.” Jungeun shook her head with a laugh, turning away. 

Mingyu watched her until she turned back into the room, a stupid grin on his face. 

He turned around and saw a girl, a girl he knew all too well. Princess Heejin, who seemed to have similar motives as Jungeun, escaping the heavy blanket of stuffy rich people and the leaders of the surrounding nations within Anool. Heejin could never be around them for too long, but since she was older now, she couldn’t use the “she needs to nap” excuse anymore. 

Mingyu stopped in his tracks once he saw the Princess he talked so ill of moments before, who didn’t have a happy look on her face. 

“Princess, I—“

“Don’t.” Heejin approached him, raising her hand to silence him. Mingyu’s ears and cheeks flushed red, and his heart stopped beating once Heejin gave him a death glare from underneath her long lashes. “Sir Kim, I know you’re an excellent soldier and a good man.” The coldness in Heejin’s voice was enough to take the red from Mingyu’s face and turn it blue. “I also know you’re trying to be a good friend. However, you were a bit of an ass-wipe. To make sure the Hero doesn’t get ideas that I am, in fact, a spoiled brat, please try not to bring other people down when you’re trying to make someone feel better.” Her gaze raised and she looked at him in the eyes, her cold stare burning into his irises. “Understood?”

“Understood.”

Heejin walked away, no sashay in her step, barely anything could be seen underneath her long skirts. Mingyu let out a large breath once she was out of sight, grumbling curses at her as he left.


	2. The Search

It was early in the morning, Heejin was dressing her horse. The royal saddle, the royal bridle. She wore more casual clothes, the tight pants for riding and the loose pink tunic that was made to match with her guard, but it was hidden behind a dark cloak. Behind her, she heard a click of the tongue and boots sliding against the wet stone. 

She gasped, whipping her head to look at the stable entrance. “Jungkook!” She growled, her eyes narrowing at the entrance. “You startled me.”

“The bunny is always timid, isn’t she?” The teasing lilt to his voice was as evident as ever. Heejin frowned and went back to dressing her horse. “Why are you awake, anyway? It’s barely dawn.” Heejin grumbled, grunting as she threw the saddle on the large white horse. “I could ask you the same thing, Heejin.” Jungkook stepped forward and started pulling at the cinch, tightening it around the horse. “Are you running away again?”

Heejin nodded, though she doubted Jungkook could see her over the horse. “I’m just going to do some research on the Goddess. I’m heading to Arclight. I’ll be back before the sun sets.” Heejin’s voice dipped as she hooked her boot into the stirrup, pulling herself up and over the horse. “If you don’t want to help me escape, then you can just leave.” Jungkook laughed silently, shaking his head and flashing a smile towards her. “I won’t help you. Maybe you should get your knight to help you.”

Heejin scowled. It had been a week since the ceremony and Heejin and Jungeun’s relationship wasn’t getting anywhere. Not that Jungeun tried, the girl often said next to nothing but instead just followed the Princess around wherever she went outside the castle. Heejin didn’t like having a shadow, even if Jungeun wasn’t annoying and was just doing her job. It confirmed her worries that she truly was defenceless, that she required a knight to risk her life to save the Princess. It made Heejin boil with anger. 

“Jungeun doesn’t know of this. I don’t want to be followed around constantly. I can take care of myself.” Heejin wasn’t an angry person, but one might think she perfected the angry glare she gave Jungkook before kicking her horse’s sides gently and leading him out of the stable. Jungkook laughed again, following slowly behind her, before leaning his shoulder against the stable door and staring at Heejin as she trotted off into the sunrise. “If your mother saw you now, she’d be proud!”

Heejin pretended she didn’t hear him.

 

-

 

Donghae was frantic. The sun had only just risen and he felt like pulling his hair out. 

“Relax, my King,” Joohyun muttered, smoothing out the tressels on his shoulder from his suit, he shot her a glare. “The Princess surely has your glares, doesn’t she?” A teasing smirk grew on her face and Donghae’s didn’t brighten in response. “How can you be so calm? My daughter is missing.”

“You daughter went out for the day. And this isn’t the first time. Jungkook said she’ll be back before sunset. Your grip on her is too tight, Donghae.” Joohyun took a step back from Donghae, who stared at her in exasperation. 

One of the knights stepped in, he was clad in the regular Royal Guard armour Donghae always expected them to wear. Donghae faintly knew his name, the knight was young. Donghae was too stressed to be thinking of his guard’s names. “Jungeun has set off to find the Princess. She said that when she finds her, she will let us know.” Donghae excused the knight from his bow, the knight looked up at him with a firm gaze. Donghae nodded, relaxing from where he sat in his throne. Joohyun shot him a smile. “See? Jungeun’s handling it. It’s the first time she’ll be able to show us that she can protect the Princess.”

Donghae  _ did _ trust Jungeun. She had been a part of the Royal Guard for nearly a year now and her training over the past week had been excellent. However, Donghae couldn’t just trust anyone with Heejin. Heejin was the heir to his throne, the bringer of a time of peace and prosperity, the end to Chaos. She was  _ also _ his daughter, the remaining remnant of his once happy family. Jungeun was good, but was she good enough?

“Your Majesty…” The knight interrupted Donghae from his thoughts, this tone softer and stepping on unknown territories, something that was popular with the knights when they wanted to suggest something to Donghae. “Do you think Jungeun should be out there alone? I mean, what with Chaos awakening the enemies have gotten stronger.” The knight brought up a good point, but before Donghae could say something, Joohyun spoke up. “Do you think Jungeun can’t handle herself?” A raise of Joohyun’s brow only meant bad things, and even the knight flinched. “No, I don’t mean it like that, I--”

“I’m sure Jungeun will let us know if she needs any help. Her training this week was superb. The only issues I’m worried she may have is with my daughter.” The knight nodded, not seeming convinced, saluted to the King and turned around. He left without a word and Joohyun nodded at him as he went. “Thank you, Mingyu.” 

“Mingyu! That’s his name.”

Joohyun rolled her eyes and left to prepare breakfast for the king.

 

-

 

The sun peeked over the mountains, the sky turning blue from the light orange and yellow it once was. Jungeun rode through the large field, once ridden with monsters but now protected by large metal stalkers. They would notice Jungeun riding by and then continue on their way. They made her a little uneasy. 

It was about two hours since Heejin had been reported missing by Jungkook, and it had been an hour and a half since Jungeun left to find her. Thus far, no luck. She hadn’t seen the hooded Princess on the white stallion yet, but she had yet to reach the destination that Heejin said she would be. Mingyu had warned Jungeun about the monsters that had been popping up around, saying that a few hikers and travellers had gotten attacked. 

 

_ Minho snorted. “I would like to meet a monster that gets away from Jungeun alive.” He was shining his sword at the time, getting ready for guarding the castle for the day. “She’s not exactly a girl that needs saving, Ming.” Jungeun cocked a brow and smiled at Mingyu, brushing off any grime from her horse’s back. “I’m just saying. You’ll be alone and once you find the Princess you’ll have… you know… Some dead weight on your back. You’d rather die than have the Princess dead. And frankly, I don’t think she’s worth it.” Mingyu finished the left flank that was farthest away from Yunho, handing the circular comb to Jungeun. “It’s my duty.” Jungeun took the comb, giving Mingyu a stink eye. “I know, I know but… Your duty is also to save Anool. To be a daughter to your mother.” _

_ “The Princess has the same duty.” _

_ Mingyu sighed, bending over to pick at the horse’s hooves. “She’s a brat. Not to be disloyal to the King but she just does whatever she wants because she’s the Princess. She’s reckless. She goes out on a suicide trip just to prove to the King that she’s not just some… some…”  _

_ “Princess?” Hyukjae, the Head Guard and the King’s right-hand man, walked into the stable with a laugh, Mingyu cleared his throat and straightened up from where he stood. Jungeun chuckled.  _

_ “Mingyu, I’m more worried about Heejin getting hurt about the monsters than Jungeun.” His personality was loud and boisterous, Jungeun could hear him coming from a mile away. “Of course you are, she’s the Princess,” Mingyu muttered, obvious disdain in his voice.  _

_ “Stop.” Jungeun circled around her horse and put a strong hand on Mingyu’s forearm. “Look, you gave me that dagger, right? I’ll make sure to put it to good use. If the Princess is intended on coming back today, I’ll be back before the day ends. I’ll be fine. I’ve got food and medicine in my bag. I’ll be okay.” Mingyu sighed, knowing her well enough to not argue with Jungeun. She gave him a sweet smile. _

 

Jungeun had been travelling for about an hour now, and there were no monsters. She was well aware that they liked to hide off the side of the paths, attacking random travellers. Luckily, she was on a fast horse and the monsters were actually kinda slow. 

Jungeun made it to the town within an hour, the sun threatening to loom above in the midday. There was still no sign of Heejin, and it worried Jungeun. 

The town was Arclight, it was the biggest in the area. It was often called to be the “dark town”, what with how little sun it got each year due to the looming shadow of the mountain behind it. Over the winter, the people would never have the sun on their face. 

However, they seemed joyous. Only a few paid mind to Jungeun as she rode in, but nobody questioned her or made note of the Hero’s presence. That was good, Jungeun didn’t want to scare Heejin away. If she was even here. The town was large and Jungeun was struggling to try to figure out how she will find the Princess. Obviously, she wouldn’t be in plain sight, whoever recognized her would question her and take her back to the castle. Were there any suspicious people in the town square?

Jungeun dismounted her horse once she got into the square, already there were children beginning to run around and people were starting their day. It made Jungeun dizzy, the number of people here, but she squinted to try and make sense of the bustling figures around her. 

The Princess was about Jungeun’s height, with a small build and long, black hair. That fact made her grumble in frustration since she’s never seen so many tufts of black hair in her life. She figured Heejin probably isn’t hiding out in the open, definitely not since most people here have probably caught a glimpse of the Princess once or twice, since they were so close to the castle, despite how much Heejin never leaves the castle. Jungeun pulled her horse along and looked around, flashing small smiles to anyone who smiled at her. 

Jungeun didn’t really think this part through. Nobody really did. Jungeun wasn’t familiar enough with the Princess to recognize her walk in a crowd full of people, in tight streets. The two had one conversation in the past week they’ve known each other, every other time Jungeun would see Heejin from afar and would check up on her every once and awhile. The only time Heejin would speak to Jungeun was to yell at her for stalking her. Jungeun, of course, wouldn’t listen and continued to check up on Heejin. Not only was it her duty to disobey the Princess in that regard, but she was genuinely concerned for the Princess’ wellbeing. 

Over the past week, Heejin’s appetite has gotten increasingly smaller, so much to the point where the chef would serve her considerably less than the rest who sat at the table. Jungeun never usually sat with Heejin or near her, but the previous night she had sat right beside her, and her plate was tiny, and Heejin didn’t finish it. Not only was her appetite smaller, but she seemed to sleep less. Jungeun woke up early in the mornings, it was what she usually did, she was usually one to sleep right when she was allowed to. After speaking with Joohyun, Jungeun was told that Heejin usually has trouble sleeping and won’t do so until the moon hung low in the sky. When she was younger, Heejin was able to sleep in until mid-morning, but she’s older now so she had to be up by breakfast, at least. Jungeun was always awake to see the sun rise over the valley, and lately, she’s been seeing Heejin wander the castle in the same hour. Her eyes were dark and she never greeted Jungeun with her regular cold shoulder, but a dazed look on her face. It seemed that Heejin wasn’t ignoring Jungeun, it was just that she didn’t know she was there. 

Jungeun didn’t want to overstep the Princess’ boundaries, however, so she never pushed. She would have to make mental notes and hope the best for the Princess. 

There was a small market off to the side of the town, full of fresh fruits and vegetables and even some meat in storage containers. It must’ve been some kind of farmer’s market. Jungeun was only intrigued because it was nearly noon and she hadn’t eaten breakfast, her stomach growled so loudly her horse was starting to be concerned. Jungeun figured that she could take a quick break to eat. Just a piece of bread. 

Jungeun tied her horse just outside the small plaza, no animals were allowed inside the plaza during this day. She quickly stepped in and checked her pockets for any money, fortunately, she left with a few silver pieces and a bronze piece. She assumed no one would charge her too much for a piece of bread, right?

Something in the corner caught her eye as she gave the lady her silver piece, smiling politely and walking away. It was a blacksmith corner, the man was selling armour and weapons. Jungeun, tricked by her own fascination, decided she would take a quick look. 

The blacksmith had a large smile and even larger ears. He looked smaller than what Jungeun expected of a blacksmith, but he was definitely doing his job right, what with how beautiful his works looked. He flashed her a large, pleasant grin, and Jungeun faintly recognized it, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. 

“Hey!” His voice was extra happy, it sent shivers down Jungeun’s spine. She didn’t want to talk, not really, she just wanted to buy some of his stuff. It would be nice to have weapons that weren’t the sacred weapon  _ or _ the gift Mingyu gave her. 

“Hey.” She tried her best to make a smile, polite, sweet, but hopefully not friendly enough for him to want to talk to her. It seemed, though, that no matter how unfriendly she may have seemed, he would still talk. 

“How are you today?”

“Good. I think.”

“That’s good!” His smile was contagious. “Is there anything I can help you with?” 

Jungeun was about to reply with a shake of her head, reassure him, but something struck within her. Like butterflies in her stomach, she looked up and saw the wisp of blonde hair and in a blink of the eye.

“Oh- Sorry!” 

It was gone, as fast as it came, and Jungeun was brought back to Earth when someone had bumped into her. She looked, and she saw a cloaked figure, furrowing her brows, and the two met eyes. 

“Princess…?”

If the Princess swore, she probably would’ve right then. 

Heejin stood before Jungeun, her cloak falling from her head in shock. The world seemed to stop for a second before Heejin started to run. 

“Wait!” Jungeun shouted. The poor blacksmith, completely unaware of what was happening. 

Unfortunately for Jungeun, Heejin was fast. Heejin sped through the crowd, leaving nothing but a few confused people behind. Jungeun rushed after her. 

Heejin bounded through the crowd, her hair and cloak only giving Jungeun a moment to recognize that she was still following her. Jungeun muttered apologies to the people they passed, a few of them gasping when recognizing the Princess. Goddammit, Jungeun was never going to catch her like this. Heejin was small and blended into the crowd well, her dark cloak such a stark contrast to the pale pastels she saw at the castle. Jungeun looked up, saw a shortcut. Over the tiny houses in the corner of the town, she may be able to cut off Heejin, and, potentially, see her from afar. It was her best bet. 

Jungeun jumped, her arm reaching up and pulling her onto the rooftop. It wasn’t something she wasn’t used to, she’s had to climb on buildings many times, she was like a monkey when it came to that sort of thing. She ran across the rooftops, nimble as if she were flying. 

Soon enough, she saw Heejin. The girl must’ve thought she lost Jungeun, but she was still running. She was smart. 

Jungeun leaped the rooftop and, unfortunately, miscalculated the timing, what with how she tackled Heejin to the ground. 

Luckily, they were in a private alley, otherwise, Jungeun probably would’ve been arrested. It wasn’t ideal, but it really was the only way to stop Heejin. The girl seemed to have dove into the mindset to run and  _ just keep running _ . 

Heejin grunted, looking up at Jungeun, fear in her eyes. It wasn’t ideal for Jungeun, certainly not, since the Princess already didn’t trust her. The fear soon dissolved into anger, and Heejin pushed Jungeun off of her, the knight landing on her butt on the dirt ground. 

Heejin rose, wiping dirt off her pants. “Jungeun!” She shouted, but it was quieted. The alley wasn’t _ that _ private. “I can’t  _ believe this _ !” She shrieked, Jungeun put her hands out, trying to quiet the Princess. “What are you doing here?”

Jungeun stuttered over her words, trying to stand. Her hips hurt. “I came to find you, of course.” Jungeun had no venom in her voice but Heejin looked like Jungeun was ready to fight her. Jungeun sighed, standing up and carefully keeping a distance between them. “Your father is worried sick over you, Princess. I just came to see that you were… you know, alive.” Heejin didn’t seem to buy it, throwing her hood over her head and trudging away. Jungeun frowned and ran after her. 

This time, Heejin didn’t make an effort to run away. 

“Princess-”

“Don’t call me that,” Heejin grumbled, looking down from the people around them. They seemed to not recognize the two girls and carried on about their day. “But… You’re the Prin-”

“I  _ said _ ,” Heejin seethed, glaring at Jungeun from over her shoulder. “I don’t want to cause a commotion. I can’t go anywhere without being treated like a… like a Princess.” Jungeun frowned, not really understanding where she was getting at, but decided to say nothing else about the subject. 

“Okay, um… Can I call you Heejin?”

Heejin seemed to think about it for a moment, chewing her lip in thought. She nodded, though, and Jungeun sighed quietly. 

“What are you doing here, Pr- Heejin?” 

Jungeun didn’t expect an answer, but followed Heejin willingly, a few steps behind her. Heejin did acknowledge that Jungeun said something, the past few moments marking this as their longest conversation ever. She gave Jungeun a once over, which earned a brow raise from Jungeun, but Heejin quickly looked away. “I heard of some strange activity in the area from… from someone. When reading an old text I saw that there were 10 heroines back then. They were what helped the Hero and the Goddess destroy the Chaos. So, since the Hero and the Goddess are supposed to be reborn into you and me, I thought maybe… Maybe the heroines were reborn into 10 other girls.” Heejin seemed nervous as if this theory was already being doubted in Jungeun’s brain. Jungeun nodded, urging Heejin to continue. “There are 10 districts in the land. Each Heroine was from a district. After hearing about the strange activity in Arclight, I thought that maybe our first heroine would be here.” 

Jungeun nodded along, absorbing everything. She wasn’t going to doubt the Princess, especially since she wasn’t going to force her back to the castle today. However, she knew the Princess was incredibly intelligent. 

“Now, I know it may sound stupid, but-”

“It’s not,” Jungeun interrupted, to which pulled a light red colour to her cheeks. “I mean, I think it’s really smart. It makes sense. It’s a lot to put the fate of the land on two girls. So it would help us a lot if there were 10 other girls.” 

Heejin smiled, but before Jungeun could register it as a smile, it quickly faded away, and Heejin’s gaze went forward. There was to be a lot of work between them. 

“Thank you.” Heejin nodded, her usual, stony tone coming into play. It made Jungeun pull up her mouth into a half-smile, though. Heejin  _ did _ know how to smile.

“I was suspecting the blacksmith and his family. I heard around that while everyone knows him, they don’t know his sister well. She keeps to herself, apparently. Some rumours went around that they used to be a noble family.”

Jungeun was curious as to where Heejin got this information, the girl hardly left the palace, and she would have only been in town for an hour or two. She didn’t bother to ask, that would be something to save for later, maybe. 

The two approached the blacksmith’s area again, but he wasn’t outside. They went closer to his home and knocked on his door. He answered the door, his wide grin smaller, but still there.

“Ah, it’s you two!” He was cheery but didn’t open his door much, before Heejin could smile and formally introduce herself, he was speaking again. “The Princess! I haven’t seen you since you were a little girl. That’s insane!”

Quickly caught off guard, Heejin’s brows furrowed. “You know me?”

“Of course! My father and your father were really good friends. My father used to be the royal blacksmith.” That would make sense as to why his blacksmithing skills were superb. Maybe that’s why Jungeun recognized him. 

“And Jungeun! I haven’t seen you in a long time either.” Jungeun nodded, feeling sheepish, of  _ course _ , she knew him very well.

Park Chanyeol, the son of the blacksmith her father would visit all the time. He was around the same age as Jongin, so the two were close friends, always visiting each other when Jungeun’s father would go to the blacksmith. Jungeun hadn’t seen Chanyeol in a long time, she assumed he and Jongin weren’t that close anymore. He would come over to their house all the time, playing with both Jongin and the very young Jungeun, Hyoyeon would look after the three of them sometimes. It stung a bit, knowing that Chanyeol was stuck here, working his days away while Jongin lived comfortably.

Jungeun never met Chanyeol’s sister, however. 

“Small kingdom.” Jungeun chuckled. 

“It’s good to see you again…” Heejin paused, probably searching for his name underneath the pile of names she had to learn every month. 

“Chanyeol.” Chanyeol’s smile never faltered, reaching out and shaking his large hand with Heejin’s. Heejin smiled, the smile she always made when meeting new people, and shook his hand with no look of distaste. “We didn’t know each other  _ that _ well.” 

Heejin flushed and looked down. “Yes, we didn’t.” 

“Is your father in?” After a slight, uncomfortable pause, Heejin looked up at Chanyeol, hoping that he would let the two of them inside. Chanyeol chuckled, smile turning sad. “I wish he was. He passed away about… ten years ago? Which is why we live here instead of in Castletown.” Heejin bit her lip, cursing at herself in her mind. The words caused a wrenching pain in Jungeun’s heart, but she said nothing of the sort, nor did she make it obvious. “Oh, I’m so sorry.”

Another pause. 

“May we come inside?” Jungeun asked, raising a brow, a polite, yet sympathetic, smile on her face. They were getting nowhere, beating around the bush.

“Oh! Of course… I just… Give me a moment, please?”

The door closed softly in front of them, and Heejin let out a sigh, clutching her head. Jungeun would reach up and pat the Princess’ shoulder, but, it seemed like she would get throttled if she did. 

After a few, awkward moments, Chanyeol let them in.

The cottage was small, but it had a loft up above. It was nice,  well-kept, with armour and weapons ordaining the walls. Jungeun remembered the armour her father would take home from the blacksmith, she had some of those exact shields and chest pieces that Chanyeol showed off. They must’ve been from the Royal Guard. Jungeun noticed that the weapons that were Chanyeol’s, which were outside, had a similar artistic style as the ones on the walls. It made Jungeun pull up a small smile. 

Chanyeol invited them to sit at their table and they did just that. Chanyeol offered tea and they both took it out of politeness. Even though the space was quite small and the noise outside could be heard quite clearly, it was a cozy home. Chanyeol sat across them, his large figure a stark difference from the small girls who sat across him. 

“I assume you didn’t come to buy my armour, Princess.” Chanyeol took a sip of his own tea, a toothy grin still on his face. Doesn’t his face hurt from all that smiling?

“No, I didn’t.” Heejin took a breath, a deep inhale, looking around the place, her eyes darted towards the loft. “I was actually wondering if… If we could see your sister?”

Chanyeol’s smile fell, and he coughed. 

“She’s not feeling well, unfortunately.” He quickly recovered his smile, hiding it with the teacup. “Well, this is a royal matter. We… We need her.” Heejin tried her best to keep a calm voice, but with the insecurity in her theory, it was hard to. It didn’t help when Chanyeol’s brows furrowed and he frowned, her hands shaking in her lap. “She doesn’t want to come out and speak. What do you need a small little girl for?”

“Chanyeol, she’s 17, isn’t she?”

Chanyeol nodded, slowly. He didn’t seem to be so sure of Heejin’s ranking anymore, giving certain looks to Jungeun. “Yes. That should further show she’s not fit for fighting this battle. I understand that it’s… It’s important. I create weapons and armour every day for it. I just don’t see why… Why she’s important.” His stutter was evident, he tripped over his words, the cogs and gears working in his head.

Jungeun nudged Heejin with her elbow. Heejin shot her a quick glare, taking a deep breath in, and looked back to Chanyeol. 

“A long time ago, when the Goddess Loona and her Hero defeated Chaos the first time, there were actually 10 Heroines that helped them. Since it’s suspected that Jungeun and I are reincarnations of the Goddess and the Hero, I thought that maybe… Maybe your sister is one of them.”

He didn’t seem to believe her. It wasn’t surprising to Heejin that he didn’t, though.

“We think it’s her because there have been some… strange rumours about her. I didn’t want to assume but… I know it’ll be difficult to comprehend but I just want… I just want to speak to her.” 

Chanyeol chewed on his lip, thinking it over for a moment. He still seemed to doubt Heejin, but, with a sigh, he stood. 

“Okay, fine.” Heejin and Jungeun rose after him. “I’ll let you talk to her, but there is no way of saying she’ll talk to back.” The two of them nodded. Jungeun didn’t know why Heejin was so eager to talk to her, especially if she was sick. They had 9 others to look for, why couldn’t they just wait for this girl to get better? Jungeun suspected that maybe the girl was severely sick since Chanyeol seemed so dismal upon the request. Many thoughts ran through her mind when she followed Heejin up the short stairs. 

There was a small bed, definitely not made for someone like Chanyeol who was burly and tall, and there was a figure in it. They were completely encapsulated by the blankets, like a caterpillar in a cocoon. His sister, Jungeun assumed, was so tiny and small, it almost made Jungeun really question if she was actually Heejin’s age. 

“Hey,” Chanyeol spoke in a soft and loving tone, shaking the girl’s shoulder. She stirred, a low groan coming from the blanket. “We have some visitors. The Princess came to see you.” A humourous scoff and what was a shrug of the shoulders came from the girl, but it was weak. “Don’t joke with me.” A mumble that Jungeun could barely make out. 

“It’s true. I’m here.” Heejin spoke, her voice soft, nearly a whisper. It could be heard so clearly even though there was a ruckus from the market outside, and the girl visibly stiffened. 

Chanyeol moved away, and the girl took the blanket off of her body and sat up, looking at Heejin and Jungeun in shock. 

The shock was mirrored; however, for what was before the two of them was something so agonizingly awful they didn’t know how to fully comprehend it. 

The girl, while beautiful, was completely bald. She had no hair on her head and barely had any on her face, where her eyebrows were supposed to be. But Jungeun could’ve cared less about her bald head, and focus more on her skin. It was white, almost translucent as if Jungeun could see right through her, but again, her paleness wasn’t really something Jungeun was paying attention to. 

Her skin was flaking, all over her body, peeling off like bark on wood. It was incredibly disturbing and disgusting and Jungeun had to hold it together to not shiver. All over the girl’s body, on her arms, her shoulders, her face, even. There were red patches beneath the flaking skin, and it seemed excruciatingly painful. 

Chanyeol’s eyes fell when he saw the looks on the girl’s faces and Jungeun immediately felt guilty. The girl probably had to deal with this all the time, people staring at her, gawking at her. It’s probably why she never goes out in public anymore. Jungeun couldn’t imagine the pain the girl must’ve went through.

Heejin, however, didn’t move, frozen in her place. It made Jungeun raise a brow and look at the Princess in wonder. 

The Princess took a low inhale, a stutter in her breath.

“Chaewon?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for the feedback and kudos! i've really started this and have kicked it off, haven't i? : D i hope you guys enjoy this chapter and remember to leave a comment as they really do help a lot and motivate me to keep writing! sorry that this update was a MONTH late but... i got sick so :") sorry!


	3. The Butterfly

After some help and a few minutes, Chanyeol helped Chaewon down the stairs, and the four of them all sat at the table. It was a quite few minutes, Heejin’s fingers wrung together, and her jaw clenched. Jungeun stood next to her, as still as ever, like a statue in the wind. It made Heejin unbelievably irritated, but she said nothing, even when Jungeun caught her staring.

Heejin would never be able to explain the irritation, anyway.

Chaewon sat across from Jungeun and Heejin, and it was hard to look at her. She took a sip from the tea Chanyeol gave her, and she quickly told Chanyeol to go back outside to sell his armour. He answered with a pout but Chaewon laughed, and he obliged. It was some future discussion between just the three of them, and Chanyeol probably knew that, but he still didn’t trust Heejin. She didn’t blame him, though.

“So, Princess, why are you here?” Chaewon’s voice was tiny, a whisper like the swift wind on a September day. It was almost hard to hear, but Heejin knew what she was asking anyway.

“Chaewon, I-” Heejin took another inhale, her hands clasping together on top of the table. There was a lump in her throat, and she didn’t know what to say, but Chaewon was looking at her expectantly, so she searched her mouth for words. “I didn’t know you were going through such a… a…”

“Illness?” Chaewon’s smile was sweet, however, despite how much it looked like it might hurt. “Yes, I… When I was a child it wasn’t so bad. I still had my hair. But as time went on it started getting worse and worse. It was one of the reasons we had to move out of Castletown.”

Heejin vaguely remembers Chaewon’s dry skin. They didn’t know each other that well as kids, but with how close their parents were, it was almost inevident that the two would see each other. Sometimes they would exchange nervous glances from across the room, sometimes Heejin would smile brightly at Chaewon, and she would smile back. Chaewon wasn’t a friend, never was, but she is someone Heejin will recognize instantly for the rest of her life. She remembered Chaewon’s long dark hair; she remembered her dry skin. As a kid, Heejin found it odd but never said anything of it, even when the two were forced to play together, and Heejin would brush her arm against Chaewon’s, and it was like rubbing it against concrete. She never mentioned it, didn’t want to bring attention to what didn’t need attention, but she knew Chaewon saw Heejin go stiff every time they touched, and she knew it made Chaewon feel bad. She always felt guilty, and maybe it made it more comfortable when Chaewon moved away when Heejin never saw her or her father again, and she could be wrapped up in her issues and not deal with that guilt or all those questions she had. It was up close in Heejin’s face now, the thought of the girl with dry skin was now the girl who had skin that seemed not to want to be attached to her. Like it was slowly getting away from her like everyone who met her.

“It’s not too bad. I can’t go outside without people staring at me. Chanyeol wanted to move to somewhere out in the countryside so that I could go outside, but with the impending Chaos, it’s hard to live out in the countryside without getting attacked. Besides, he needs to be in town to make money. I can deal with little hours of daylight so he can do what he loves.” Chaewon’s stare went out the window, recognizing that she was rambling, but it wasn’t like Heejin or Jungeun were going to say something. Heejin was trying to process everything, figure out what to say, and Jungeun sat there, shell-shocked.

A moment had passed, the silence lingering heavy between the three girls before Chaewon brought her attention back to the latter two, her gaze soft and dainty on Jungeun.

“So, you’re the Hero of Legend, hm? We always knew that Heejin was the Goddess, but we never knew who you were.” Chaewon seemed to notice that she was talking to herself, really, before Jungeun cleared her throat and scratched the back of her neck sheepishly. “Yes, uh… We came to talk to you about something like that.”

Heejin suddenly felt Jungeun’s gaze on her, and it made her frown, composing herself and collecting her thoughts for a moment and then speaking, not even glancing at Jungeun. “Yes, we did.” She murmured before straightening in the wooden chair and bringing Chaewon’s attention to her. “I’ve been researching the ancient Hero and Goddess and have found out that ten heroines helped fight them…” Heejin explained her plan, trying her best to word it not to get the same reaction she got from Chanyeol. Chaewon seemed understanding, however, nodding her head in agreement as Heejin spoke. She didn’t seem shocked nor did she look like she was going to burst out laughing at Heejin’s idea. It made Heejin urge herself to keep talking, her voice slow and almost comforting.

“And we assumed that… Maybe you were a reincarnation of one of the Heroines.”

Chaewon frowned at that. However, her fingers picking at her white nightgown. Could it be called that? It looked like a shapeless and bland white dress. “I don’t want to doubt you since the idea is believable. I don’t see how I’m the Heroine, though. I’m just a stupid sick girl with little idea of if she’s going to live to see next year. I hardly think I would be of any worth to help the two of you fight." She took a pause. "Chaos.”

Heejin nodded, slow and processing. “The illness you have… What is it called? What did the doctor call it?”

Chaewon raised a brow, her head tilting to the side in question. “He called it ‘Butterfly Syndrome’... There is no known cure.”

With a stand, Heejin gave Chaewon a soft smile. “I know an excellent healer in Regen territory. If you come with me and, uh, Jungeun, I suppose, maybe we can help you. She works with water, not medicine. She’s been known to help many people.” Chaewon’s brows furrowed, a slight frown on her face but a small smile. “I’ve tried everything and nothing works, Princess. And I can’t leave this house; Regen isn’t exactly the next town over. It’s a day’s trip away. I can’t go with you, even if there is a chance…” Heejin reached forward and put a hand on Chaewon’s, careful with the peeling skin. The skin seemed so delicate; just the slightest touch would make Chaewon scream in pain. “Chaewon, people only live once. I know you seem content with living in this tiny cottage, but I know you want to see more. If I can help you with this, you’ll be strong and confident. I know you can do it.”

Chaewon bit her lip, her chapped lips making her wince. “I… I have to ask Chanyeol. I can’t just leave him alone.”

Heejin’s smile was bright, and she wanted to reach forward and hug Chaewon, but she knew the repercussions if she did that, so she kept her distance. Chaewon seemed to appreciate that, and even in this state, smiling brightly at the two of them.

“Princess,” Jungeun spoke, her voice startling Heejin. “We should get going.”

Heejin didn’t like Jungeun telling her what to do, but it seemed that she had no choice. Not when Chaewon had a small smile on her face, and she was looking at her hands that clasped in her lap. It would be best to go, Jungeun was right.

“Chaewon,” Heejin smiled, only barely acknowledging that Jungeun said something. “We should go. You talk to Chanyeol about this, he already knows about my theory. We will be by tomorrow to begin the journey. Is that okay?”

Chaewon looked up, her barely-there eyebrows knitting in worry. Her teeth chewed her lip for a moment; a habit Heejin seemed to have noticed even in the few moments she’s known Chaewon, before nodding. “It should be okay. I think- I think it’s time I leave this little cottage.”

Jungeun stands, and the two of them bid their farewells, Heejin has a tight grip on Jungeun’s wrist when Chaewon says, quiet, barely heard in the air and Heejin thought she heard wrong.

“I’ll miss it.”  
  
  


* * *

 

Heejin doesn't say much when she and Jungeun mount their horses and leave the village. Jungeun doesn’t say anything at all, which she expected, so the air is utterly silent save for the few grunts the horses make and the sounds of hooves on the dirt path. Heejin, for the most part, rides ahead of Jungeun, her head in the clouds. Her mind is on nothing in particular, but everything at the same time. She finally grounds herself and looks at her knight, who has an eyebrow raised at her expectantly.

“Regen is a big city north of here. It’s actually in the middle of a big island, off the coast of the Soul Bay. It is home to a land of aquatic fish people. Have you been there before?” The quiet was truly killing Heejin. It wasn’t like Jungeun spoke much, anyway, so she probably didn’t care whether it was quiet or not. Heejin was the kind of person who voiced her thoughts out loud, and when Jungeun didn’t answer, Heejin continued. “I’ve been there a few times. The structures made from what looks like seashell material, but I’m not sure. The culture is very adept with many myths and layers. I always wanted to go there to study the story of the Heroine that was from there, but I always had to shadow my father whenever we went. To learn the ropes of the politics between the Kingdom and the Regen people.” Heejin stopped there, not bothering to say more. Jungeun kicked her horse to go a bit faster and rode beside Heejin.

“I’ve never been there.”

Heejin bit her tongue. The smile on Jungeun’s face grew slowly, like the sun rising in the sky.

Suddenly, she felt like she had the wind knocked out of her. When Jungeun smiled, it was genuinely brilliant, kind, and warm. It made Heejin uncomfortable, especially when she ruined the smile when she looked forward, clearing her throat and pointing her nose forward.

Jungeun’s smile, Jungeun’s kindness, was something Heejin didn’t deserve, nor did she want. She wished Jungeun was just some arrogant man that only wanted her for marriage, who only wanted the title of Hero to flex his overbearing muscles on his tiny village. She wished Jungeun were all those things, so Heejin had the right to be angry with her. That Heejin had a viable reason to yell at her, to ignore her, to wipe away Jungeun from her life. Jungeun was just a confused girl like Heejin; someone forced into destiny when they didn’t want it. It made Heejin angry, with herself mostly, so Heejin’s face quickly dissolved into a small frown.

“That sword you wield on your back…” She murmured, her voice solemn and distant, Jungeun could barely hear it with the claps of the hooves on the ground. She looked back at Jungeun, who felt that she had done something wrong due the Princess’ slight frown, her bright smile fading away. “Do you truly think you have the power to wield it? To save us when we need you most…? Or do you think that maybe, just maybe, that when the time comes, and Chaos is right in front of you, ready to attack… It will fail you?”

Jungeun furrowed her brows, tilting her head in thought as she looked at her Princess with a confused look on her face. “I don’t know what you mean…”

Heejin remained silent for a moment, her head downturned, so her dark locks of hair cast as a shadow over her face. She looked away from Jungeun then, looking up at the setting sun. “Nothing. Never mind.”

 

* * *

 

The night settled in, the town outside slowly growing quieter and quieter. Jungeun looked out from one of the bridges to the towers in the palace, her arms over her biceps as she saw the sun slowly tuck itself behind the mountains.

As they got back, Heejin made it a point to ride farther ahead of Jungeun. It didn’t matter to Jungeun had they not have that little talk, that made Jungeun feel like whatever development happened in their relationship just reversed as if it was nothing. Heejin didn’t talk to Jungeun once, even after she got scolded by the King and also after he said that she was to stay inside the palace for the rest of the week, to practice her prayers and to keep out of the library. Heejin hid away in the bathroom for a few hours, probably to cry, before she came out looking the same as ever. The stony face was something Jungeun got used to, but today it seemed even harder as if there was nothing to break it.

Jungeun waited outside Heejin’s room; the Princess had asked her to remain there as she got changed and Jungeun would enter. After the scolding and the yelling, Heejin’s view on Jungeun must’ve softened.

“Jungeun,” Once Jungeun heard her name, she made her way to inside the tower and stepped in.

The room was what Jungeun expected, decorated in whites and pinks. It was most definitely what Jungeun expected her room to look alike, massive, expensive, and beautiful. Despite the apparent displays of trying to get her more interested in beauty, dresses, and whatnot, there were still rows of bookcases. The bookcases had bent spines with wrinkles across them. She had many notebooks, diaries, and documents that made it clear what her real interests were. Despite the clear distinction from what the Princess was trying to display, the delicate girl interested in beauty, there were little details across the room that indicated otherwise.

“Why did you call for me, Princess?” Jungeun stood awkwardly at the door, carefully stepping in, her Princess dressed in her sleepwear and robe. Heejin sat at the stool in front of her vanity brushing out her hair and putting it into twin braids. “Tomorrow. I want you to come with me.”

Jungeun nodded. “I was only able to make my father agree to it if you came with me. I told him I would be visiting the Spring of Courage in the Regen region to see if I can awaken my power. I didn’t mention either the healer we were visiting nor Chaewon. If you see him between now and when we embark tomorrow, don’t mention either of those to him.” 

Heejin and Jungeun shared a look, Heejin trying to prompt Jungeun to say something and Jungeun waiting if Heejin was going to say anymore. When neither of them said anything, Heejin sighed and waved Jungeun off. “Well, if you have nothing else to say, you might as well go. We will be leaving at sunrise. Okay?” 

“Okay.” Jungeun nodded and turned on her heel, closing the door behind her but not before saying: “Good night, Princess.” 

“Good night… Jungeun.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry that this took so long and that it is incredibly short! for some reason, life decided that it was the best time for me to get busy and unfortunately that affected my inspiration and time to sit down and write. hopefully this is okay and i can update soon!


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